October 6, FOM Meeting Minutes

Action: George moved and Michael seconded to approve the September Minutes.

Agenda Item 2: Financial Update

Discussion: $5,700.45 is our current balance. After our 2 transfers of $2,000 to the nuns on their return to Greece, we will have a low balance. There is a possibility of switching to a higher Internet speed for the same monthly price, more details will follow. George is working on VOIP for the monastery including sending some hardware to support their local phone system. The net result will be a smaller potential phone bill. Will the nuns not make it financially without our $2,000/month support? We are not certain. We will find out more details on their return from Greece. The overall hope is to help the nuns create their own nonprofit in the US to facilitate money transfer. They would then have to keep up with their own accounting system. The net result is that they still need us.

We are aiming for a January trip.

Agenda Item 3: Presentations

Discussion: George will be presenting to the Coptic Church on Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. and meeting their Pope. He will discuss how our work came into being. Anna hopes to present about the Save the Oasis Project on Oct. 24 at the Greenville Sustainability Fair, additional she hopes to raise funds for shoes there.

Agenda Item 4: Phone Hardware Purchases

Motion: Michael moves that George supplies the monastery with a range extender, external antennae and a VOIP phone adapter for under $300. Anna seconds the motion. Motion passes.

Agenda Item 5: English Prayer Books

Discussion: Gerondissa Gennadia is requesting Orthodox prayer books in English. We hope to bring about 10 when we next travel to Egypt at the cost of about $20 per book.

Agenda Item 6: Meeting Adjourned

Action: George moves and Michael seconds. Motion passes and meeting is adjourned at 9 pm.